Traction-engine.



PATENTED NOV. 24, 1903. 0. s. DONBY & 0. A. GORDON.

TRACTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 18. 1903.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1 N0 MODEL.

I PATENTED NOV. 24, 1903.; 0..s. DONEY & 0. A. GORDON.

TRACTION ENGINE. APPLIGAT'IO'N IILIID AUG. 18', 1903;

N0 MODEL. v v

UNITED STATES CHARLES SAMUEL DONEY AND OLLIVER ALLON GORDON, IDAHO.

Iatented November 24, 1903 on LEWISTON,

TRACTION-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 744,728, dated November 24, 1903.

Application filed August 18, 1903. Serial No. 169,886. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES SAMUEL DONEY and OLLIVER ALLON GORDON, citizens of the United States, residing at Lewiston, in the county of Nez Perces and State of Idaho, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Traction-Engines; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such'as :0 will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in traction-engines and com prises a novel construction of engine, the essential features of which comprise a nearly spherical shaped boiler affording a larger heating-surface than in ordinary boilers and provided with two Wheels which are suitably mounted so as to nearly surround the boiler and in the provision of geared mechanism for driving the wheels inthe same or in opposite directions, whereby the engine may be easily guided.

V The invention consists, further, in the provision of a traction-engine having a'boiler from which project spindles carrying the traction-wheels, which have wide flanges nearly surrounding the boiler and provided with circular series of cog-teeth about their inner peripheries adapted to be engaged by cog- 5 wheels which are mounted upon a suitable shaft and by means of clutch mechanism adapted to be driven in one direction or the other, whereby the wheels may be driven in one direction or the other.

Theinvention consists, further, in various details of construction, combination, and arrangements of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described and then specifically defined in the appended claims.

Our invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this application, and in which drawings similar letters of reference indicate like parts 50 in the views, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the engine.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same.

Fig. 3'is a top plan view. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the mechanism for transmitting power from the engine to the main driving-wheel, and Fig. 5 is adetail-view.

Reference now being. had to the details of the drawings by letter, "A designates a yoke or arch in which the spindles B are journaled, which spindles are securely fastened to the opposite walls of the boiler O; Said boiler C, which is shown in the sectional view as being octagonal-shaped, has a series of intersecting water-tubes Dtherein and a deflecting-plate E adjacent to the points of intersection of the two series of tubing, as shown clearly in, Fig. 1 of the drawings. Mounted upon the spindles or stub-axles B are two drivingwheels D and D, having wide flanges, which project toward each other and partially surround the boiler O, the inner margin of which wheels D are inwardly turned, forming an annular flange, as at E, and mounted upon bracket arms F are grooved antifrictionwheels G, which, are shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and said tracks E areadapted to ride in the grooves of the wheels G. Formed about the inner periphery of each flange D and D are circular'series of cog-teeth K, which are engaged by the cog-wheels K, which latter are keyed to rotate with the shaftL, which latter is journaled in suitable bearings L on the boiler. An engine of any suitable kind is mounted over the boiler and has geared connection with the shaft L, and by means of clutch mechanisms 0 and O, which are actuated through the medium of the levers Q, one or the other, or both, of said cog-wheels K may be driven, accordingly as it is desired to drive both wheels in one di- 0 rection or allow one to be idle while the other is driven for the purpose of turning the machine about. A smoke-stack I rises from the boiler and is surrounded by aportion of the steam chamber, whereby the heat of the 5 smoke-stack will be utilized in drying steam. Said yoke has a bracket extension R, in which a caster-wheel R is journaled, whereby the rear portion of the arch or yoke may be supported, and in order to level the boiler a rod .100

T is provided, which is connected to the boiler near its lower end and pivotally connected at p I T to the lower end of the lever W. A rackbar J projects horizontally from the yoke, and a pawl J, carried by the lever, serves to engage one or the other of the teeth of the rackbar J to hold the adjustment of the boiler.

From the foregoing it will be observed that by the provision of the wide circumferences I of the two wheels an engine constructed in accordance with our invention will readily pass over soft roads, and owing to the location of the center of gravity of the engine the weight is so positioned with reference to the axis of the wheels that the engine will not be top-heavy, and by having the boiler-nearly surrounded by the wheels it Will be protected, and by the simple manipulation of the clutch mechanism the shaft may be turned or be readily reversed.

While we have shown a particularconstrnction of apparatus embodying the features of our invention, it will be understood that we may make alterations in the detailed construction of the same without in any way departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is---- 1. A traction-engine comprising a boiler, stub-axles projecting therefrom at points di rectly opposite, a yoke in which said shafts are mounted, a caster-wheel on said yoke, wheels journaled on said shafts and having wide flanges surrounding portions of the boiler, an engine supported adjacent to the boiler and geared connections between the same and said wheels, as set forth.

2. A traction-engine comprising a boiler with stub-axles projecting therefrom, a yoke in which said stub-axles are mounted,acasterprojecting flanges extending about the boiler, annular tracks on said wheels and grooved antifriction-wheels carried by the boiler and engaged by said tracks, an engine and geared connection between the same and wheels for rotating the latter.

3. A traction-engine comprising a boiler having stub-axles projecting therefrom, a yoke in which said axles are mounted,a casterwheel mounted upon the yoke,traction-wheels journaled on said shafts and flanges which project toward each other over and surround the boiler, an annular track formed integral with the inner periphery of each flange, and grooved pulleys carried by the boiler and engaged by said tracks, an annular series of cogteeth on the inner periphery of the flange of each Wheel, a shaft mounted in suitable bearings upon the boiler, cog-wheels carried thereby and engaging said series of cog-teeth, an engine and geared and clutch mechanism connecting the same with said shaft, whereby said cog-wheels may be driven together or singly, as set forth.

4. A traction-engine comprising a boiler, stubaxles projecting therefrom, a yoke, a caster-wheel, traction-wheels, means for driving the same, a lever pivotally mounted upon a portion of said yoke, a link connecting said lever with the boiler, a rack-bar, and a pawl carried by said lever and adapted to engage the teeth of said rack-bar whereby the boiler may be leveled, as set forth.

In testimony whereof we hereunto affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES SAMUEL DONEY. OLLIVER ALLON GORDON.

WVitnesses:

RoB'r. S. ANDERSON, DANIEL NEEDHAM. 

